Call of Duty: Mobile and 11 More Mobile Games to Join $2 Billion Club in 2023

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
The global mobile gaming market is contracting, with consumer spending projected to fall by 5% in 2022 and an additional 3% in 2023.
02
Economic instability and privacy-related user acquisition challenges, including IDFA restrictions and Google privacy updates, are the primary drivers of the market downturn.
03
Eleven mobile games, including Call of Duty: Mobile, State of Survival, and Brawl Stars, are projected to reach the $2 billion lifetime revenue milestone in 2023.
04
Asian companies dominate the top-tier performance list, accounting for seven of the 11 games expected to hit the $2 billion threshold this year.
05
Three established titles—Lords Mobile, Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade, and Slotomania—are forecast to surpass $3 billion in lifetime revenue during 2023.
06
Uma Musume Pretty Derby achieved $2 billion in lifetime revenue within just two years of launch, demonstrating exceptional growth despite limited geographic availability.

Summary

The global mobile gaming market is experiencing a period of contraction, with consumer spending projected to decline by 5% in 2022 to $110 billion, followed by an additional 3% decrease in 2023. This downturn is attributed to broader economic instability and significant challenges in user acquisition stemming from privacy-related policy changes, such as IDFA restrictions and upcoming Google privacy updates. Despite these headwinds, a select group of high-performing titles continues to demonstrate strong financial resilience.

Data provided by analytics firm data.ai identifies 11 mobile games poised to reach the $2 billion lifetime revenue milestone in 2023. This list includes prominent titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile, State of Survival, Township, Brawl Stars, Marvel Contest of Champions, and Uma Musume Pretty Derby. Notably, seven of the 11 identified games are developed or published by Asian companies. Among these, Uma Musume Pretty Derby is highlighted for its rapid growth, reaching the $2 billion threshold within two years of launch despite limited geographic availability.

Beyond the $2 billion club, the analysis forecasts that three additional titles—Lords Mobile, Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade, and Slotomania—will surpass $3 billion in lifetime revenue during 2023. While the broader industry faces its first decline in 15 years, these findings underscore a divergence where established, high-engagement franchises maintain significant monetization power. The data reflects a global industry perspective, focusing on the intersection of macroeconomic trends and the performance of top-tier mobile gaming assets.